Leg exerciser



Dec. 31, 1946. D. HERRICK LEG EXERCISER I Filed April 5, 1944- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1.. D. HERRICK LEG EXERC ISER 2 Sheet-Sheet 2 Filed April 3, 1944 Patented Dec. 31, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OF FlC-E '41Claims. (Cl.f128-'25) My invention relates to improvements in leg exercises. It is particularly well adapted for exercising the feet and ankles.

One of the objects of my vision of an exerciser of the novel means for firmly holding the heel and toe portions of the operators foot while said holding means are operated to twist, turn and swing the .heel, toe and ankle. portions in many directions, while swinging the lower portion of the leg around a horizontal axis.

A further object of my invention is to provide novel means by whichsaid heel and toe holding means are soswung.

Still another object of myv invention is the provision of novel means by which the heel, toe and ankle portions of both legs of the operator may be simultaneously swung and, exercised in the manner before described with reference t the exercising of the lower portion of;one leg.

The novel features of my invention. are hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the foot supporting crank means disposed. in the medial position in which the right foot is elevated and the left foot lowered.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the exerciser with the parts as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side. elevation of the'exerciserpwith parts removed. and the crank means ShOWI'liiIl cross section.

'Fig. 4 is. aside view: of;the right heel holding means, shown partly in vertical section andpartly in elevation, and partly broken-away,. the parts being enlarged,

Fig. 5is a section on the line 5-5fof Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a plan view 101513116 exerciser withthe crank means in the horizontal position/inwhich the right foot support is .shown;zinstheia forward position, and. therearfoot' support iinthe rearward position.

Fig. 7 is an'enlarged left sideelevation of-a invention is the prokind describedhaving portion of the exerciser, showingthe leftheel and toe holding means in the forward-position, the motor and the right heel and toe holding means omitted, andparts broken away.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged front elevation of the left toe holding means'and some of the'parts at .the rear thereof.

Fig. 9 is alongitudinaljsectionlof the. hub, with the inner ends of the two alined' cranks shown 'fastenedtherein.

intersects the axis of the hu .against ,each other, to

which the bottom of 'tical plane at therear Similar characters ,oi-reference designatesimi- .lar parts inthe. differentviews.

l designates a supporting ,,hase on whichis mounted a tubular column 2 having at its upper end tw o pa-rallel spaced, apart ball bearing casings -3 in which are respectively rotatablymounted on .a horizontal'transverse axis opposite ends. of.-a

hub 4, havingextending through it from one end to the other an oblique cylindrical hole. 5. which Q A crank means comprising two cylindrical cranks having their inner end portionsalined with each other and designatedmyffi, are fittedand overlap each; other in the oblique hole. 5.,in which theyare respectivelyfirmlyheld by two .set screws 1, which are mounted in two threaded'holes-Iextending inwardly.- one from each end of the hub. 4, as shown in Fig. 9. ,The innerends of the cranks are notched, as-shownand overlapeach other with the filat sides ,of the notched portions 8 hold 'them from relative rotation, the set .screws"! respectively bearing against the outersides of the portions 8.

The outer ends ofthe oblique portions 6 ofthe two alined cranks terminate respectively in two extensions 9, which are parallelwith each other but extend in opposite directionsflfrom' the oblique portions 6. at an angle thereto-and at-an oblique angle to the axis of the hub 4.

Two heel supporting means are provide d, one to-support the right heel and the otherto support the left heel. The two heel supporting means are mounted respectively at opposite sides ofthe' hub 4 cn'the oblique portions 6 of the crank means.

Each heel supporting means comprises a heel holding means consisting of "the" following described parts:

' l0 designatesa, plate'having fiat portion on the heel rests, said plate having a rounded rear end, and having at one side The right plate ID has the flange H I Eachheel holding means-has a U shaped wire member one arm l2 extending transversely under and fastened to the lower side of the plate l0, the transverse portion of the U shaped member, designated by l3, extending upwardly and rearwardly at an angle, the other arm 14 of. the U shaped member being'located approximately in a verend of the platef'l ll.

"The end portions 'ofthe arms l2 and Hlare threadedand. have mounted upon, t em respectively two nuts I which bear against the two 7 above the heels thereof, and the two links II respectively embrace the inner sides of the feet above the heels. The two heels resting on the heel plates III may thus be held tightly clamped.

Each plate In is rigidly fastened to the upper end of a downwardly extending pivot pin I8;

forming therewith part of a heel holding member. Means are provided for supporting the heel holding means on the oblique portions 6 of the crank means, which means, as shown, consist of two collars I9 respectively pivotally mounted on the oblique portions 6 at opposite sides of and spaced from the hub 4, Figs. 2, 4, 5 and 8. Pins 20, Fig. 2, extending through the portions 6, one at each side of each collar I9, hold the collars from endwise movement on the oblique portions 6, while permitting said portions 6 to rotate and the collars I9 to swing thereon. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, each collar has in it at the rear of the portion 6, a circular hole 2I extending downwardly from the upper end of the collar to 'a point below the portion 6, inwhich is pivoted the lower reduced end portion of the pivot pin I8.

For holding the pivot pin I8 in thecollar I9, :and yet permit the pin to swing laterally a range of about 90 degrees, the front side of the reduced portion of the pin, at the rear of the portion 6 has an arcuate notch 22 through which the portion 6 extends, the front portion of the pin below the notch 22 being forward of the rear edge of the portion 6. As shown in Fig. 5, the notch 22 extends rearwardly far enough to permit of the pivotal movement of the pivot pin. The hole 2I being closed at the bottom forms an oil container, for the lubrication of the pin, and collar.

For supporting the toe holding means, two bar supporting members 23 are pivotally mounted respectively on the two crank extensions 9, Figs.

1, 2, 7 and 8. Each member 23, below the adjacent extension 9 has extending through it for.- wardly and rearwardly ahole 24, shown as square in cross section, in which is longit'udinally'adjustably fitted a bar 25, which extends forwardly and is fastened in its screw 26 mounted in the outer side of the member 23 and intersecting the hole 24. I

The right and left toe holding means are respectively supported by the right and left bars 25. Each toe holding means, the left one of which is shown in Fig. 8, enlarged, has a bar provided at one end with a downwardly extending portion 26 pivotally mounted in a vertical hole through the adjacent bar 25 near the front end of the latter. From the vertical portion 26 the bar extends inwardly transversely in a horizontal portion 27 from the other end of which extends a vertical portion 28, threaded at its upper end portion.

On the vertical portion 28 is pivoted a sleeve 29 to one side of which is fastened one end of a bar having a horizontal portion 30 extending transversely toward the adjacentibar 25, the outer end of said horizontal portion terminating at the adjusted position bya set lower end of a vertical portion 3I, the upper end of which is threaded.

On the horizontal portion 30 is mounted a soft rubber sleeve 32 for supporting the toes of the foot to be applied thereto.

A transverse bar 33 has eyes, one at each end, through which respectively extend the threaded upper end portions 28 and 3|. Two nuts 34 respectively mounted on said threaded end portions 28 andz3I bear against the upper side of the bar 33. On the bar 33 is a soft rubber sleeve 35 for embracing the upper sides of the toes of the foot supported by the sleeve 32.

the right foot is in its Each bar 25 has extending from it transversely inwardly between the member 23 and the bar 26-41, a horizontal bar 36 to which are attached the rear endsof two coiled springs 31 and 38 the forward ends of which are respectively attached to the vertical portion 28 and to the horizontal portion 30. The tension of the springs 31 and 38 is such as to tend to normally swing the vertical portions 28 and 3| rearwardly. I

To limit the scope of the lateral and upwardly and downwardly swinging of the two heel holding means, two tongues 39 are respectively fastened at their rear ends to the pivot pins I8, and extend forwardly respectively under the two bar portions 2'! and between the upwardly extending arms of two U shaped members 40 respectively fastened at the upper ends of their arms to the under sides respectively of the two bar portions 21, Figs. 2 and 8.

Means are provided for continuously rotating the hub 4 on its axis, which means, as shown, consists of a worm wheel 4I, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7, rigidly mounted on the hub 4 between the ball bearing casings 3, which worm wheel M is engaged and rotated by a horizontal rearwardly extending worm 42 mounted upon the rear end of the armature shaft 43 of an electric motor 44 mounted on the base I.

In operation, the person who is being exercised is seated behind the apparatus with his heels resting respectively on the heel plates I 0, and the two toe portions of his feet clamped between the two pairs of rubber sleeves 32 and 35.. The nuts I5 are tightenedto cause the feet to be tightly clamped above the heels by the'link I1 and the portions I3 of the two U shaped members.

Assuming that the motor 44 is operated to rotate the hub 4 in a clockwise direction, as viewed from the right in Figs. 1, 2 and 6, the oblique portions 6 and the extensions 9 of the crank means will be revolved in circles around the axis of the hub 4, thus carrying the two pairs of heel holding means and two pairs of toe holding means, together with the two feet supported thereby, alternately forwardly and. backwardly in circles. Theright foot .will 'be moved forwardly while the left foot is moved rearwardly, and vice+versa. 1

In a medial position, 'shown in Figs. ,1 and 2, uppermost position, and the left foot is in its lowest position. As the motor 44 operates to revolve the hub 4 and the feet supporting means carried thereby, the right crank 6 and its extension 9 will move forwardly and downwardly, and thelleft crank 6 and its extension 9 will move, rearwardly and upwardly until the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 6, in which the crank means 6 and the extensions 9 will be disposed horizontally. f

Inthe movement from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to the position shown inFig. 6, the bars 25 will be swung to the right, thus shifting the toes of the feet to the right. Continued revolution 90 degrees will bring the crank means 6-4-1 to the second transverse medial position, in which the bars will have been swung to the left to the straight ahead position, shown in Fig. 1, the right foot being at its lowermost position, and the left foot at its uppermost position. Revolution another 90 degrees will move the crank means 6-9 to the second horizontal position, shown in Fig. 7, in which the bars 25 will have been swung to the extreme left position.

Thus, during a complete revolution, the toe portions of the feet will be swung laterally to and fro, and the heels will be tilted to the right and left, causing twisting of the feet between the toes and heels; at the same time, the feet will be swung upwardly and downwardly, thereby exercising the feet and the ankles as well as the muscles of the legs.

If desired, the motor 44 may be operated to revolve the hub 4 counter-clockwise, as viewed from the right in Fig. 1, thereby reversing the movements imparted to the feet and ankles from those described.

My invention may be modified in many ways, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a foot and ankle exerciser, in combination, a hub, means for rotating said hub on a horizontal transverse axis, a crank fastened to and extending transversely from one end of said hub in a line oblique to and intersecting the axis of said hub, and having at its outer end an extension at an angle to said oblique line and to said axis, a crank collar supported by and in which said oblique portion of said crank is rotatable, a heel holding means pivoted on said collar to swing laterally, a bar supporting member supported by and in which said crank extension is rotatable, a bar extending forwardly from and supported by said bar supporting member, and toe holding means forward of said heel holding means and pivoted to said bar to swing forwardly and backwardly.

2. In a foot and ankle exerciser, in combination, a hub, means for rotating said hub on a horizontal transverse axis, a crank fastened to and extending transversely from one end of said hub in a line oblique to and intersecting the axis of said hub, and having at its outer end an extension at an angle to said oblique line and to said axis, a crank collar supported by and in which said oblique portion of said crank is rotatable, a heel holding means pivoted on said collar to swing laterally, a bar supporting member supported by and in which said crank extension is rotatable, a bar extending forwardly from and supported by said bar supporting member, toe holding means forward of said heel holding means and pivoted to said bar to swing forwardly and backwardly, and means for limiting the scope of lateral swinging of said heel holding means on said collar and the range of tilting of said collar on said crank.

3. In a foot and ankle exerciser, in combination, a hub, means for rotating said hub on a horizontal transverse axis, a crank fastened to and extending transversely from one end of said hub in a line oblique to and intersecting the axis of said hub, and having at its outer end an extension at an angle to said oblique line and to said axis, a heel holding means, means supporting said heel holding means so that it can swing upwardly and downwardly and laterally on the, oblique portion of said crank when said crank is revolved by said hub, a bar supporting member supported by and in which said crank extension is rotatable, a bar extending forwardly from and supported by said bar supporting member, and toe holding means forward of said heel holding means and pivoted to said bar to swing forwardly and backwardly.

4. In a foot and ankle exerciser, in combination, a hub, means for rotating said hub on a horizontal transverse axis, a crank fastened to and extending transversely from one end of said hub in a line oblique to and intersecting the axis of said hub, and having at its outer end an extension at an angle to said oblique line and to said axis, a heel holding means, means supporting said heel holding means so that it can swing upwardly and downwardly and laterally on the oblique portion of said crank when said crank is revolved by said hub, a bar supporting member supported by and in which said crank extension is rotatable, a bar extending forwardly from and supported by said bar supporting member, toe holding means forward of said heel holding means and pivoted to said bar to swing forwardly and backwardly, and means for limiting the scope of lateral and upwardly and downwardly swinging of said heel holding means.

LLOYD D. HERRICK. 

